New BP owner checking in

[LCplRoberts]

My wife and I just moved to Escondido, CA, I'm a Marine stationed down here and today we decided to go snake shopping today.
We ended up at LLL Reptile and they have an awesome store and selection.
She wanted something big but I insisted that we get something medium sized. Now, we have a beautiful yearling female ball. We got our entire setup, UTH, light source, substrate, good sized water bowl, temp guage and a nice sized glass terrarium with room for her to grow.
They said that they had been feeding live rats, the guy showed be the sized, and that she was on a weekly schedule of every Wednesday.

This my first snake, i have an adult bearded dragon, uromastyx back home and I used to have crested geckos. I've considered buying a BP before and did some reading a while back.

I am finding this site to be a wealth of knowledge and if anyone has anyone has any tips my wife and I would greatly appreciate it.

[temec]

all i can say is great choice of store!!! i love that store and have been buying things from them for a few years

[boboso]

Welcome from another So Cal herper...! The BP is a great choice and I'll have to check out that store.

Side note- thanks for what you do, props man.

[Soterios]

Check for mites. Triple L has a rep.

[LCplRoberts]

No problem.

The store is on 214 E. Grand Ave.

Their selection of snakes and lizards is huge, all kinds of boas and pythons. Their really helpful too.

[Slim]

First off welcome to the Forum. You couldn't have made a better choice in snake; BP's are the best!

Second, check this out for setting up and tweeking your glass tank set-up:

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=56846

This info will tell you how to do it right the first time...wish I'd read it before I set mine up.

Third, don't be suprised if you switch from a glass tank to an RBI or AP cage set up in the near future...trying to hold humidity in a glass tank is harder than chinese arithmatic...especially where you live!

Again, welcome and good luck.

[Mindibun]

I didn't see hides on your shopping list. That's priority alpha for BP's. You may have just forgot to mention them, but it's all in the care sheet someone linked for you. Also, they don't need a light source since they're nocturnal and burrow during the day. All the stores always sell a lamp for the snakes. They're just making money ...

[LCplRoberts]

Forgot to mention the hides, we got 2 good sized half logs for one for each side of the cage.

[Slim]

Bro, ditch the half logs and get a couple clay pot from Wal-Mart. Knock a hole in the top she can get into and be done with it. A BP won't feel secure in the log, even if she uses it, cause they love to feel closed in. Also forgot to mention that with a glass cage you might want to put black foam-core on three sides...again, it's a security thing for the snake.

[Mindibun]

half logs are probably the least secure hides out there. You want something that's going to enclose them on at least 3 sides, 4 if you can do it. The half logs only cover two sides, and one end is always completely open. They need more security than that. You can use any number of things, ranging from dark tupperware containers, to ceramic pots or their saucers, to store-bought snake houses. Just try to replace those as soon as you can. The snakes don't like them, and it's just another way for stores to rip off new owners. Ball pythons are notorious for wanting to squish and cram themselves into the smallest space possible. I have a yearling also, and you wouldn't believe the tiny places she can put herself; she loves it.